Method of and apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units

A method of manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising the steps of:

• while continuously feeding said mask sheet in the form of a continuous web, forming folds at opposite marginal edges of said mask sheet on opposite sides of said image frame to a predetermined depth across the thickness of said mask sheet;
• applying said developing liquid container and an excessive developing liquid trap respectively to said opposite marginal edges of said mask sheet;
• bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state;
• folding back said opposite marginal edges of said mask sheet along said folds in wrapping relation to said developing liquid container and said excessive developing liquid trap;
• bonding the folded opposite marginal edges, except said folds, of said mask sheet and said two sheets to each other;
• and
• cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length.

A method of manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising the steps of:

• bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• and
• supplying either a plurality of developing liquid containers or a plurality of excessive developing liquid traps to opposite marginal edges of said continuous web on opposite sides of said image frame when said continuous web is stopped.

A method of manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising the steps of:

• temporarily bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• finally bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together;
• and
• cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length.

A method of manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising the steps of:

• bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• and
• forming at least one free loop in a feed region where said continuous web needs to be positioned to control feeding of said continuous web.

A method of manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising the steps of:

• placing light unshielded members including at least said mask sheet as continuous webs in a bright chamber, and automatically delivering said light unshielded members from said bright chamber into a dark chamber;
• bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state in said dark chamber;
• and
• cutting off said continuous webs into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length in said dark chamber.

A method of manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising the steps of:

• bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• and
• before said continuous web is cut off, measuring a detected region of said continuous web and detecting the difference between the measured detected region and a positioning reference, and adjusting the relative position of said continuous web and a processing unit based on said difference.

A method of manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising the steps of:

• bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state to produce a joined body, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• forming a loop in said joined body at a region where conditions for feeding said joined body are to be varied;
• cutting off said joined body into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length downstream of said loop;
• detecting a defect of components of an instant photographic film unit upstream of said loop;
• and
• shifting a detected signal representing the defect, downstream of said loop in association with the instant photographic film unit whose defect is detected, and discharging said instant photographic film unit which has been cut off, based on said detected signal representing the defect.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• member supply stations for supplying said mask sheet and said two sheets;
• bonding stations for bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• a cutting station for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• a stacking station for automatically stacking a predetermined number of instant photographic film units;
• and
• a packing station for automatically placing the stacked instant photographic film units in a film pack.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• a fold forming station for forming folds at opposite marginal edges of said mask sheet on opposite sides of said image frame to a predetermined depth across the thickness of said mask sheet while continuously feeding said mask sheet in the form of a continuous web;
• an attaching station for applying said developing liquid container and an excessive developing liquid trap respectively to said opposite marginal edges of said mask sheet;
• bonding stations for bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state;
• a folding station for folding back said opposite marginal edges of said mask sheet along said folds in wrapping relation to said developing liquid container and said excessive developing liquid trap;
• and
• a cutting station for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• first and second punching dies disposed in confronting relation to each other for punching the image frame in said mask sheet;
• an attracting feed mechanism for attracting debris punched out of said mask sheet and then forcibly causing the attracted debris to drop;
• and
• a retrieving mechanism for retrieving the debris in a stock region with an air flow.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• a cutting mechanism for cutting off a joined body, which is produced by bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web, into a predetermined length;
• said cutting mechanism comprising:
• first machining means for cutting off said joined body in a direction transverse to a direction in which said joined body is fed, and substantially simultaneously beveling both corners of one cut side;
• and
• second machining means for feeding said joined body by a predetermined distance, and thereafter beveling both corners of another cut side confronting said one cut side, for thereby producing a self-developed instant photographic film unit with four beveled corners.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• member supply stations for supplying said mask sheet and said two sheets;
• bonding stations for bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets, being in the form of a continuous web;
• a cutting station for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• parts supply stations for simultaneously supplying either a plurality of developing liquid containers or a plurality of excessive developing liquid traps to opposite marginal edges of said continuous web on opposite sides of said image frame.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• a temporarily bonding mechanism for temporarily bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• a finally bonding mechanism for finally bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together;
• and
• a cutting mechanism for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• a temporarily flap bonding mechanism for folding back opposite marginal edges of said mask sheet in wrapping relation to said developing liquid container and an excessive developing liquid trap, with said mask sheet and said two sheets being held together in a predetermined laminated state, at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web, and thereafter temporarily bonding the folded opposite marginal edges;
• a flap finally bonding mechanism for finally bonding said opposite marginal edges;
• a flap re-bonding mechanism for re-bonding a bonded region near said excessive developing liquid trap;
• and
• a cutting mechanism for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• member supply stations for supplying said mask sheet and said two sheets;
• bonding stations for bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets, being in the form of a continuous web;
• a cutting station for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• and
• at least one free loop disposed in a feed region where said continuous web needs to be positioned to control feeding of said continuous web.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• light unshielded member supply stations for holding light unshielded members including said master sheet as rolls of continuous webs;
• a photosensitive sheet supply station for supplying one of the sheets which has a photosensitive sheet;
• bonding stations for bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state;
• a cutting station for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• a bright chamber, said light unshielded member supply stations being disposed in said bright chamber;
• and
• a dark chamber, at least said photosensitive sheet supply station, said bonding stations, and said cutting station being disposed in said dark chamber.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• a main feed mechanism for intermittently feeding at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets as a continuous web in successive feed cycles;
• a bonding mechanism for bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets in a laminated state;
• a cutting mechanism for cutting off said continuous web into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length;
• and
• a positioning control mechanism for, before said continuous web is cut off, measuring a detected region of said continuous web and detecting the difference between the measured detected region and a positioning reference, and adjusting the relative position of said continuous web and a processing unit based on said difference.

An apparatus for manufacturing instant photographic film units each including a mask sheet having an image frame and two sheets, one of which has a photosensitive layer, laminated and bonded together, and a developing liquid container disposed in a predetermined position for supplying a developing liquid between the two sheets to produce an image, comprising:

• a bonding mechanism for bonding said mask sheet and said two sheets together in a predetermined laminated state to produce a joined body, with at least one of said mask sheet and said two sheets being in the form of a continuous web;
• a loop forming mechanism for forming a loop in said joined body at a region where conditions for feeding said joined body are to be varied;
• a cutting mechanism for cutting off said joined body into self-developed instant photographic film units of a predetermined length downstream of said loop;
• a defect detecting mechanism for detecting a defect of components of an instant photographic film unit upstream of said loop;
• and
• a defective product discharging mechanism for shifting a detected signal representing the defect, downstream of said loop in association with the instant photographic film unit whose defect is detected, and discharging said instant photographic film unit which has been cut off, based on said detected signal representing the defect.